| Name | Chekhar |
| Country | Morocco |
| Description | - |
| Refrences | - |
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Name | Chomiche |
| Country | Morocco |
| Description | - |
| Refrences | - |
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Name | Chott Ain El Beida |
| Country | Algeria |
| Description | A saline depression surrounded by palm plantations, crossed by a number of canals that drain excess water from the plantations and the nearby town. Several bird species on the Eurasian-African pathway use the site as a stopover; some winter there, such as the Ruddy Shelduck, and others nest there, including the Black-winged Stilt and the Pied Avocet. A number of mammals also occur at the site, but these still remain largely unknown. The vegetation is Saharo-Mediterranean belonging to 12 families, the most represented of which is the Chenopodiaceae. Of note is Zygophyllum cornutum for its medical properties against gastric ailments and which should benefit from special protection measures due to over-harvesting. Pollution from wastewater is the main threat to the avifauna of the site. A project is currently underway to elaborate a management plan for the site, which also hopes to increase awareness through the construction of an eco-museum, a visitors' centre, bird watchtowers and educational campaigns. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/fr/ris/1414?language=fr |
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Name | Chott Ech Chergui |
| Country | Algeria |
| Description | The second largest chott in North Africa, after the Chott Djerid in Tunisia: an extensive closed depression containing permanent and seasonal saline, brackish, and freshwater lakes and pools, as well as hot springs. The site is representative of the Mediterranean region in the diversity of habitats which are included, from steppe areas that are always green to the surroundings of the chott and the (sebkhas) which are completely without vegetation, as well as purely aquatic lake and marsh vegetation. Many threatened and vulnerable plant species are present, as well as at least two vulnerable species of Anatidae, and it is an important nesting and wintering site for several species of migratory waterbirds. Human uses include agriculture, and raising of livestock, particularly sheep and camels; the thermal springs offer possibilities for tourism. Overgrazing, poaching, desertification, and deforestation for firewood are seen as potential threats. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1052 |
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Name | Chott El Beidha-Hammam Essoukhna |
| Country | Algeria |
| Description | A brackish, temporary lake surrounded by a meadow composed of halophytic species; during the dry season salt encrustations occupy a large part of the site. It is important for the wintering of two species, Tadorna tadorna and Phoenicopterus ruber, which have been represented in relatively high proportions in recent years, though rarely exceeding the 1% threshold due to the fact that several other wetlands occur nearby. The lake plays a role in sediment retention and flood control during years of exceptional rains, and is an important grazing area for sheep that can feed on the Atriplex spp. It also holds an archaeological interest thanks to the presence of shell-middens, mounds up to 150m-long and 10m-high which contain tools, bones, ash and snail shells which date back to the Capsian civilization, ca.7,000 BC. In the site's surroundings there are cereal and other cultivations, and some forestry activities further south. The problems of erosion and desertification recently became evident, and the elaboration of a management plan is seen as the only solution towards achieving the wise use of the site. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1415?language=en |
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Name | Chott el Fedjadj |
| Country | Tunisia |
| Description | - |
| Refrences | - |
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Name | Chott El Hodna |
| Country | Algeria |
| Description | Part of a series of chotts created by waters descending from the Atlas Tellien to the north and the Saharan Atlas to the south, typical landscape of vegetated Maghreb steppe with seasonal brackish and saline lakes, pools, and marshes and freshwater springs. The peripheral zone of chott, characterized by wadis and oases, surrounds the central zone of the sebkha, with a complete absence of vegetation. The site is important for a number of endangered species, notably gazelles, bustards, and marbled teal, and also qualifies for the List for its significance as habitat for indigenous fish species. Human uses include pastoralism and salt extraction, and the area is home to Roman ruins and other archaeological remains. Potential threats include pollution from urban and industrial waste water; over-exploitation of water, salt, sand, and soil; over-grazing and deforestation for firewood. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1053?language=en |
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Name | Chott El Jerid |
| Country | Tunisia |
| Description | A vast saline depression located between the mountain range of Cherb to the north and the desert to the south, representing a characteristic wetland of the northern Sahara. Of special interest are the fossil water aquifers that nourish the oases around the site, and some economically interesting oil reservoirs. The site also hosts an important steppe fauna and flora and supports between 3,000 and 15,000 Mediterranean flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber), or 3.5% of the individuals for this species in this biogeographical region. Climate change and overgrazing on the borders of the chott risk provoking a loss of vegetation cover and erosion. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1699 |
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Name | Chott Elguetar |
| Country | Tunisia |
| Description | A seasonal intermittent saline lake (chott, or sebhka) at the northern limit of the Sahara, it is a natural wetland almost in its primary state, characterized by a combination of large shallow depressions irregularly flooded. Vegetation present includes halophytes adapted to long dry periods stretching to over 5,000 ha of the site. The diversity in the vegetation is determined by the presence of water in the sites which is also very important for increasing the water table level and providing a breeding ground for water birds. The site provides habitat for a good number of threatened species, including the Scimitar Oryx Oryx dammah, Addax Addax nasomaculatus, and Dama Gazelle Gazella dama, which are critically endangered, the gazelles Gazella leptoceros and Gazella cuvier which are endangered, and Gazella dorcas, which is vulnerable. It supports several mammals throughout their life cycles, and it is a nesting and wintering ground for many waterbirds. Traces of religious and industrial activity have been found which date back 40,000 years, as well as evidence of Neolithic and Berber cultures from an early time. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/2005 |
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Name | Chott Melghir |
| Country | Algeria |
| Description | A large complex of seasonal salt lakes and pools and freshwater pools, representative of arid and hyper-arid saharan environments. Of the characteristic type of vegetated chott surrounding sebkha, or salt lake, entirely devoid of vegetation, the site is remarkable for lying at the lowest point in the Sahara desert, 35 meters below sea level. It shelters vulnerable and threatened flora species, and the number of endemic species reaches 14, the most notable of which are Fagonia microphylla and Oudneya africana, found only in Algeria, and the particularly interesting Ammosperma cinerea. The area is currently used for grazing. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1296?language=en |
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Name | Chott Merouarne et Oued Khrouf |
| Country | Algeria |
| Description | The chott is characterized by saline ponds and lakes that are permanent by virtue of the flow of the Wadi Khrouf, containing continuous runoff of excess irrigation for cultivation of palms and waste water from neighboring communes. Located in a region of arid steppe, the site is internationally important for passing migratory birds, some of which are classed by IUCN as vulnerable, as well as for several indigenous fish species. Other wetland types listed as present include freshwater springs/oases, irrigation channels, salt exploitation sites, and drainage canals. Human uses include livestock raising (principally sheep), salt extraction, and recreational hunting and fishing. Water pollution and over-grazing are seen as potential threats to the ecological character of the site. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1054?language=en |
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Name | Chott Oum Raneb |
| Country | Algeria |
| Description | A wetland fed by wastewater from five settlements in the district, surrounded by sand dunes, an important refuge for migratory waterbirds crossing the desert on the Eurasian-African routes. Phoenicopterus ruber is the symbol of this site, being present in significant numbers and nesting there. Himantopus himantopus also nests here, while other species present include Anas and Tadorna spp. and Plegadis falcinellus, Ardea cinerea and Egretta garzetta. The site was used for salt-works in the past, but today one only finds palm plantations in the area. Pollution from wastewater is a concern for the future, and a study is currently being undertaken to look into the possibility of installing a purification plant. The site is also used for environmental education purposes, with the use of videos and brochures. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1416?language=en |
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Name | Chott Sidi Slimane |
| Country | Algeria |
| Description | A wetland surrounded by palm trees and a dense reed bed that is an important refuge for migratory and sedentary waterbirds. The site hosts more than 1% of the vulnerable Marbled Teal's biogeographic population. The Phragmites beds provide a nesting site for species like Fulica atra, Gallinula chloropus and Porphyrio porphyrio. The water body is important for the local population as it allows excess water from the palm cultivations to be drained there. The date palms constitute local people's main livelihood. The tourism potential of the area still remains unexploited despite the site's natural beauty and its faunal and floral richness. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1417?language=en |
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Name | Chott Tinsilt |
| Country | Algeria |
| Description | A shallow brackish lake fed by rainwater, runoff and wastewater from the town Souk Naâmane, surrounded by Tamarix and Salicornia species. The area is an important wintering site for waterbirds, especially Tadorna tadorna, Anas penelope and the flamingo, which are present in significant numbers. There is potential for salt harvesting in the area and livestock pass through it. Cereal and vegetable cultivation at subsistence and industrial level occur outside the site. Uncontrolled hunting, pollution from wastewater, erosion and water diversion for irrigation are the main threats. At the moment there are no protection measures in place, although there is a felt need given the presence of important avifauna visiting the site and the potential to carry out research on nesting birds, saline soils and associated vegetation. There are two universities nearby, one of which has a postgraduate course on wetland conservation, and it is thus likely that research in the area will increase. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1418?language=en |
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Name | Chrea |
| Country | Algeria |
| Description | The Chréa Biosphere Reserve and National Park is located 50 km south-west of the capital Algiers, along the northern and southern ridges of the Blida section of the Atlas Mountains. This site plays a vital role in the area, notably as a water reservoir for large cities like Algiers, Blida and Médéa. It is also important from a conservation perspective with rare and endangered ecosystems specific to the northern Atlas Mountains. The national park hosts 1,210 plant and animal species, such as the Atlas ceder (Cedrus atlantica) and the monkey (Macaca sylvanus).The Chréa Biosphere Reserve hosts a diversity of cultures (Arab, Andalusian and Berber cultures). About 1,000 people live within the biosphere reserve (2002) who are mostly farmers. However, also tourism plays an important role in the area with approximately 10,000 visitors per year. |
| Refrences | http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/biores.asp?code=ALG+04 |
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Name | Cirque d'El-Jebha |
| Country | Morocco |
| Description | El Jebha is a little port town in the northern part of Morocco. This Mediterranean coastal place is situated in the Rif Mountains, and across the route that takes traffic from the Northwestern part to the Northeastern part of Morocco. El Jebha, is the capital of the district (cercle) Mtiwa and is part of the province Chefchaouen in the region of Tanger-Tétouan. |
| Refrences | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Jebha |
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Name | Cirque de Ain Ouarka |
| Country | Algeria |
| Description | Known by geologists as a (cirque) or amphitheatre-like bowl, this geothermal wetland in the Ksour mountains of the Sahara Atlas is a basin circumscribed by abrupt mountains 1,672m high with two small ponds with saline, clear and deep water. The water from thermal sources is used as a curative spa, whereas the cold sources provide drinking water for the local population -- as a geothermal wetland, the site is extremely rare in the Mediterranean area. The site is famous for ancient practices of hydrotherapy and traditional salt exploitation, and it is an excellent biotope for at least two nationally protected, seriously threatened plant species, Pistacia atlantica desf and Helianthemum lippi. Most remarkable is the presence of the dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas) and mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella), classified as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. Rock paintings and engravings date back more than 10,000 years and testify to the rich fauna of the region at that time (lions, elephants, wild sheep, bustards and ostriches). |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1300?language=en |
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Name | Complexe des Iles Kneiss |
| Country | Tunisia |
| Description | Located at the center of the Gulf of Gabès and noted for its remarkably high tidal variation of about 2m amplitude, a vast depression surrounded by marine subtidal aquatic beds, intertidal mud and sand flats, intertidal marshes and sandy shores. These islands, about 3.5km from the mainland, consist of 4 subislands which emerge from the sea at high tide but are surrounded by vast mud and sand flats at low tide. The dominant marine vegetation is Cymodocea nodosa. This site is the most important area for migratory waders in the Mediterranean zone, and over 330,000 waterbirds have been counted on this wetland. It is a breeding ground for the little Egret (Egretta garzetta), common Redshank (Tringa tetanus), Slender-billed Gull (Larus genei) and a wintering ground for the Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), etc. The shores of the islands hold a wide variety of shellfish which are exploited visiting population. The islands are not inhabited but are visited by humans for shell collection for exportation to Italy. Despite the introduction of collection licenses in 1988, overexploitation of shell remains a problem. |
| Refrences | http://www.ramsar.org/fr/iles-kneiss-avec-leurs-zones-intertidales-0 |
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Name | Complexe des zones humides de Barrage Ghdir El Goulla et Barrage El Mornaguia (Al Mornaguia) |
| Country | Tunisia |
| Description | Fresh water storage areas constructed for potable water supply and irrigation, providing nesting grounds for several waterbirds and a wintering ground for migrating species, including the Eurasian Wigeon (Anas Penelope), the IUCN red-listed Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris) and White-Headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala) - up to 73 individuals, representing 14 % of the species population in the West Palearctic biogeographic realm. Different fish species have been identified and the vegetation is essentially Juncus sp, Tamarix gallica and Phragmites australis. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/2101 |
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Name | Complexe des zones humides de Sebkhet Oum Ez-Zessar et Sebkhet El Grine |
| Country | Tunisia |
| Description | Important Bird Area. Comprising permanent estuarine and shallow marine waters including intertidal marshes, the site supports several bird species including the Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia, up to 360 individuals, representing 3% of the population of the West Palearctic biogeographic realm, and the Greater Flamingo (2,200 individuals). Estuarine fish species have been identified here, including the estuarine European Toothcarp (Aphanius fasciatus) and Thicklip Grey Mullet (Chelon labrosus). Several reptiles and mammals such as the Fennec Fox (Vulpes zerda), Shaw's Jird (Meriones shawi), and the Algerian Hedgehog (Erinaceus algirus) have been identified with dense vegetation consisting mainly of halophytes. The main hydrological function is groundwater recharge. The site is remarkable for its natural state with very little human exploitation; the main human activities include traditional fishing and grazing. |
| Refrences | https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/2100 |
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